Fatigue – You're More Than Just Tired

Americans often don't recognize the importance of sleep. NSC is a leader in working to change the culture with research, education and outreach programs related to sleep health in the workplace.

Workplace Fatigue Conference Feb. 20-21, 2019

Sixty-nine percent of employees – many in safety-critical industries – are tired at work. Join us at the NEW Workplace Fatigue Conference Feb. 20-21 in Seattle. We will share best practices and review the latest research so we can help employees be safer, healthier and more productive. Featured topics include:

Fatigue risk management systems

Sleep health promotion in the workplace

Fatigue and technology

Regulatory and legislative policy change

Research and data collection on fatigue

Whether you are a sleep health expert or a safety professional, you will gain new knowledge and actionable ideas on addressing fatigue and sleep health in the workplace. Come early and learn more. Join us for the 2019 Campbell Institute Symposium taking place prior to the Workplace Fatigue Conference.

Our 24/7 Workforce

People often make light of how little sleep they get; an over-worked, over-tired condition has become the norm for many. But a good night's sleep is not just a novelty, it's a necessity. The effects of fatigue are far-reaching and can have an adverse impact on all areas of our lives.

Our bodies are programmed to be tired at night and alert during the day, but work often requires us to
override those natural sleep patterns. More than 43% of workers are sleep-deprived, and those most at risk work the night shift, long shifts or irregular shifts. Following are a few facts for employers:

Employees on rotating shifts are particularly vulnerable because they cannot adapt their "body clocks" to an alternative sleep pattern

On the Road

We wouldn't allow a friend to drive drunk, but we rarely take the keys away from our tired friends or insist that they take a nap before heading out on the road.
Drowsy driving
is impaired driving. NSC has gathered research that shows:

You are three times more likely to be in a car crash if you are fatigued

More than 5,000 people died in drowsy-driving related crashes in 2014

Losing even two hours of sleep is similar to the effect of having three beers

Being awake for more than 20 hours is the equivalent of being legally drunk

We're Getting Sick Over It

Adults need an average of seven to nine hours of sleep each night, but 30% report averaging less than six hours, according to the National Health Interview Survey. Sleep is a vital factor in overall health.

Time for Change

Americans receive little education on the importance of sleep, sleep disorders and the consequences of fatigue, but
industry leaders recently have been drawing attention to this issue. Employers, too, are in an ideal position to educate employees on how to avoid fatigue-related safety incidents. NSC supports science-based fatigue risk management systems in the workplace.